Beyond the Pages
by Anne Bloomcliff
Summary: Follows the Ron and Hermione moments that readers didn't get to see, from Chapter 25 of Half Blood Prince through Deathly Hallows. As canon as absolutely possible, without infringing on obvious copyright. Cautiously M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Hermione climbed out of the portrait hole looking quite disheveled. Her arms struggled to keep the tall pile of books before her balanced, and her expression was one of slightly haughty disappointment.

Ron saw the scene unfold from his comfortable armchair near the Gryffindor common room fireplace. While he considered helping his friend carry her heavy load, he knew from years of experience that she wouldn't want the help. She would just make some gripe about how "women are as fully capable as men" or whatever such nonsense. Plus, he didn't exactly mind watching her in such a tousled state. It was kind of…well, he just wouldn't think about that right now. Thoughts like that seemed to get him into enough trouble lately, if his recent visit to the hospital wing and resulting loss of his girlfriend was any indication.

So, he instead pretended to be completely absorbed in his solitary game of Wizard's Chess, only briefly removing his eyes from the chessboard every few seconds to sneak a peak at Hermione's struggling progress.

"Glad to see you're being productive once again, Ron," quipped Hermione resignedly as she approached him in his chair.

Following her remark, Hermione's pile of books landed in a heavy, vertical thud next to the table, causing a vibration that shook a few of Ron's chess pieces from their places, a fact the chess pieces themselves were not entirely happy about. Ron, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind.

"Oh, hey, Hermione," Ron said in the most surprised voice he could muster. "Where did you come from?"

With pursed lips, Hermione's eyes traveled slowly from Ron's face, to the pile of books at her feet, and back again.

"Uh, I'm gonna guess the library?"

"Well, I'm glad to see Trelawney's Divination lessons are finally paying off, Ron." Hermione smiled and took a seat in the armchair opposite Ron.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments, before Ron asked, "So, do you mind me asking what exactly you were doing in the library all this time? You remember that N.E.W.T.s are a full year away, right?"

"Very funny, Ronald. Firstly, I would like to remind you that a year is nothing, really, and that you yourself might want to consider beginning your N.E.W.T. studies. Secondly, no, I have not been studying all this time. Don't you remember what I went to the library for?" Hermione asked, insulted.

"How would I…wait…don't tell me you've been researching that Prince lady all this time?"

"Why, yes, I have been. Don't look at me like that, Ron, it's the only real substantial lead we have!"

Ron leaned forward in his chair, anticipating the news, "So, uh, did you find something?".

"Well," Hermione bit her lip worriedly. "Not exactly. I mean, I poured, simply poured over those old _Prophets_, and a few Hogwarts publications, for hours…"

Suddenly, the image of Hermione, tired, aggravated, and passive-aggressive as usual, determinedly searching through dozens of _Prophets _and books popped into Ron's head. She was all worked up, with her crazy hair a mess, maybe with even a few buttons on her pristine white shirt unknowingly undone as she leaned over her stacks of books. Ron shook his head and blinked a few times to get the image out of his mind.

"…And I mean, it's not as if I didn't find _anything_. It looks as if she was quite good at Potions, as I suspected," Hermione continued, without noticing Ron's momentary lapse in consciousness. "So I got some light reading out of the library and figured you, Harry, and I could tackle them tonight, at least."

"Light reading?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, you know what I mean. Where is Harry, anyway? We really need to get going on this whole thing."

"He's not here." Ron began to stare at his chessboard once again, pretending to envision possible moves, of the chess variety, of course.

"Not here? Well, where is he? I saw Ginny studying for her O.W.L.s up in the library, so he can't be with her."

"Uh, he left right after you did," Ron shifted uncomfortably in his seat, yet never losing eye contact with the chess pieces. "Jimmy Peakes gave him some message from Dumbledore. It looked all secretive and urgent, so he took off right away."

"You don't think it was…"

As Hermione's voice trailed off, Ron finally and abruptly looked up from his chess board, locking eyes with Hermione.

"Yeah, we pretty much figured it was, you know," he said, quietly. With that, he quickly placed his chin in his right palm and rested his arm on his knee. He stared at the carpet to the right of his chair, wondering what Harry might be doing right now.

Hermione's thoughts weren't much different. Summoning a little more courage she said, "So, he might be trying to get, or trying to destroy, one of those…right now? This _very_ minute? And he's been gone all this time?".

"Yeah," he said apprehensively.

With a worried sigh, Hermione slumped back into the oversized armchair, closed her eyes, and began massaging her eyes and face with the heels of her palms. Ron used this opportunity to quit his staring game with the carpet and glance at Hermione. As worried as he was for his best friend's current safety, he couldn't seem to pass up the chance to see Hermione so loosened up for once, nor miss the way her skirt rode up her thighs just the tiniest inch when she stretched.

At least Ron knew enough to avert his gaze when Hermione stopped her ministrations on her weary eyes, and rested her eyes on Ron once again.

"Do you think he's okay, Ron?"

"I hope so. I mean, yeah, of course. He has to be," Ron lied to soothe her worries. "He's with Dumbledore, isn't he? Dumbledore will have his back. There's no one Harry could be safer with."

The two sat there in a deadened silence for a few moments, each thinking the same things as the other. Suddenly, Hermione put a stop to it.

"This is ridiculous. He's fine. He's probably fine. We can't just sit here worrying," she said, looking at Ron for suggestions of what they might exactly do instead. Ron's mind seemed to be a blank slate. "Why don't we…play chess? I'll even let you win this one time!" Hermione said, grinning.

Hermione's smile seemed to break the ice. Ron returned the grin, "As if, woman! You may be better than me at just about everything, but remember that in the land of chess, I am king!".

Hermione smiled genuinely at Ron's antics as she and Ron leaned closer and began to put the chess pieces back into their starting positions.

"Weasley is my King," Hermione said under her breath, thinking that Ron wouldn't hear it, just as they both grabbed for the black knight piece. Their finger grazed each others, almost entwining, for a few seconds, and the startled two jumped back.

Hermione clutched the knight near her heart with both hands, not quite sure what to say.

Ron also sat farther back in his chair, waiting for Hermione to do something. That was strange, Ron thought. Why were they acting so bonkers? It wasn't anything. It was just…

Hermione seemed to gain her composure. "Uh, I think this one's yours," Hermione said, slowly stretching the piece towards Ron.

Ron reached his hand toward Hermione's. Just as his hand was about to take the knight from hers, the portrait door slammed open.

It was Harry. He looked rushed and frazzled, but unharmed. The two friends heaved a sigh of relief, and then began hurtling questions at him. He shot them a quick, "I'm fine", and ran straight up to his dormitory.

"So," began Ron, as soon as Harry was up the stairs and out of earshot, "I guess he hasn't been gone looking for those, you-know-whats."

"Then where has he been all this time?" asked Hermione, crossing her arms over her chest. Hermione was worried once again, Ron could see. He wished that perhaps Harry hadn't come barging in like some tornado of anxious energy. He wished that perhaps the two of them could have started that game of chess. But they wouldn't get the chance.

When Harry returned to the common room, he filled them in on his run-in with Trelawney, and what Dumbledore and he were setting out to do. He left with them the bottle of Felix Felicis, to which the two protested but accepted eventually. And then, just as he came in a flurry of activity, so he was gone, leaving Ron, Hermione, and that little bottle of luck standing awestruck in the middle of the Gryffindor common room.

**Author's Note:** Hey, everyone! I've been a fan fiction reader for a long time, but this is my first attempt at writing fan fiction in quite a few years. Plus, this is my first Harry Potter fan fiction, ever! With a free summer ahead of me, I really wanted to try my hand at the fan fiction genre I love reading so much! Please comment and give me feedback on what you think of the story so far, my writing, what I can improve, etc. I would so greatly appreciate it. I hope this isn't a terrible mess so far and that someone, maybe even one person, likes it.


	2. Chapter 2

"So I guess he's really going off to find those, those, uh, what-do-you-call…"

"Horcruxes, Ron," said Hermione abruptly, before quickly softening her tone. "Yes, he is."

The two stood facing each for a few strange moments of silence until Ron said, "It's bonkers, right?". Hermione quickly nodded her head in silent agreement. "But he's ready. All those classes with Dumbledore? Yeah, I, I reckon he has to be ready," Ron continued, sounding less and less assured.

"He's got Dumbledore. And he's got us," said Hermione, with a newfound glint in her eyes. Finally remembering the Marauder's Map she had been nervously rolling and unrolling in her hands, Hermione said, "Well, let's do what he asked us to do." She unrolled the map between her two hands and began to look it up and down.

"Uh, right, right," Ron said. He moved his head somewhat frantically, searching for a place to set the map down, as if the urgency of the situation was finally catching up with him. "Hermione, here, you can put the map here," he said, as he began to clear the table of the chess board and its pieces.

Hermione bent down to help Ron clear the table, throwing the squirming chess pieces into their box. In his position across the table from her, and with Hermione's Gryffindor tie and top buttons loosened, he had the perfect vantage point for…

Now stop thinking that way, you git, Ron scolded himself. This is _really_ serious, no time for your prat thinking. The whole world might be coming to an end, or whatnot, and your worried about Hermione's…chest, he thought to himself.

Ron decisively stared down the common room carpet, determined to keep his eyes away from Hermione's all too near bobbing bosom. But it's as if his eyes had a mind of their own! Every few seconds, his eyes seemed to drift from the carpet back up towards Hermione's shirt, where he could just barely make out the outline of a nude lacy bra…

"Oh, sorry," Hermione said quietly. This seemed to break Ron from his trance pretty instantly. He wondered what she could possibly be apologizing for. Was she apologizing for being too distracting? Too appealing? Ron suddenly realized he had felt something warm graze his hand. His eyes finally glanced towards the table, where Hermione's hand was just a few centimeters away. Her hand must have accidentally knocked into his hand while they were clearing the table. That was it. No major crisis, it was only their hands touching. Still, he didn't want to move his hand from where it was immobilized on the table. He could still feel the slightest warmth lingering from where her soft hand had been.

Meanwhile, Hermione had already returned to the work in front of them. Clearly, she hadn't been too concerned about their hands touching, Ron thought. Of course it wouldn't phase her, he believed, because she's not barking mad.

Trying to make himself appear useful, Ron removed the chessboard from the table, finally clearing space for them to spread out the map. Hermione instantly unrolled it on to the table, and began searching it inquisitively. As captivated as Ron was by watching Hermione's eyes follow the paths her index finger made across the paper, he figured the right thing do would be to actually assist her in finding what they were searching for.

"Where are they?" Hermione huffed, her searching not yet bearing any good results.

"No luck yet?" Ron asked.

Hermione looked up from the map towards Ron, raised her eyebrows, and said with a slight smile, "Well, I can't imagine you're having much luck either, seeing as your reading this thing upside down."

"Uh, right." Ron awkwardly rose from his kneeling position and walked around the table, kneeling down next to Hermione. What with the small size of the coffee table, their shoulders and arms were touching. There was but the smallest slice of air separating their hips. Hermione's breathing seemed to be getting quick and shallow.

"Are you all right, Hermione?" Ron asked, slightly rotating his head toward her direction.

"What?" Hermione hastily changed her expression from confused to overeager. "Oh, yes, I'm just…getting flustered that we're not having much luck…"

"Got him."

"Wait, who? Where?"

"Snape," Ron answered. "He's in his office."

"Oh, well that seems somewhat obvious. I don't know why I wouldn't have thought to check that in the first place."

"Yeah, but when does Snape ever do what a normal person would expect?" Ron said, trying to diminish Hermione's embarrassment. "Except this time, apparently. So the greasy git is sitting in his office, doing god-knows-what. But where is the little blonde weasel?"

"He's not anywhere in the Slytherin common room or dormitories."

"It's after hours. He shouldn't be out of Slytherin House at this time of night. Does he have prefect duties tonight?"

Hermione shook her head. "I did consider _that_, at least. I've been searching all the corridors, but I haven't found him yet."

The two continued their search in silence for a few more minutes, with no success.

"I really don't see him anywhere, Hermione." And he was trying this time. Over the past few minutes, he had really limited the number of times he would take his eyes off the map and move them in the direction of the girl sitting next to him. He had really worked to limit it to under a dozen times, or so. Still, even with such diligent work, he was coming up empty.

"Ron, Malfoy is no where to be found on this map. Maybe the Marauder's weren't as powerful as we've always thought."

" Hermione, I'm surprised at you. That's…that's blasphemy, is what it is," Ron said, cracking a small smile. He even nudged her with his shoulder a bit, in a strictly-platonic-friends-manner, of course.

The corners of Hermione's mouth moved upwards just a little, showing her amusement, before she regained her serious composure once again. "Well, I don't know what to do then, Ron. If he's not in his house or anywhere in the corridors, there's no where else in this school for him to hide…Oh, wait. Oh. We've been so thick!" exclaimed Hermione, jumping up from her seated position.

"What's thick?" Ron replied, shocked by Hermione's sudden movements, and his current close proximity to her skirt.

"We are," Hermione said, beginning to pace. "It's so obvious. I don't know how we overlooked it. How could we _not_ have thought of it first off?"

"Hermione," Ron said, exasperated. "You're forgetting that there's other people in this room who are _not_ the smartest witch of our age. Could you please let me in on _what_ you are talking about?"

Blushing from the slightly hidden compliment, Hermione stopped in her tracks and said, "The Room of Requirement, Ron. I don't know how we never thought of it. That's why he's not showing up anywhere on the map."

"The Room of Requirement? Oh no. No. No. No. I do not like the thought of Malfoy roaming around in there. What could he be doing? Playing with Trelawney's old sherry bottles?"

"The only way we're ever going to know is if we wait for him to leave…"

"And then ambush him," Ron interrupted.

Hermione didn't say anything. She just rested her chin in her hand, and nodded slowly.

"Well, I suppose we should get some help. I don't like the idea of us splitting up, especially if it means you alone with Snape or Malfoy. Or the idea of us tackling each together, and losing time."

Hermione agreed. "We need some reinforcements. Stay here. I'll grab the Galleon and contact the D.A.. Maybe someone will be willing to help."

Ron watched as Hermione ran towards the stairwell and bound up the stairs towards the girls' dormitories, until she was out of sight. Though she was out of his line of vision, in his mind he could still see her little Hermione bum bouncing up the stairs. Damn it, he thought to himself, he really needed to stop this craziness. What was it with him? Maybe it was all the excitement from the thought of ambushes and fights to the death with Malfoy. Perhaps that was getting him all riled up, over stimulated or something, and messing with his brain. All he knew was that if he was going to be around Hermione for much longer, his messed up brain was going to belong alongside those scary ones at the Department of Mysteries.

Before he knew it, Hermione flew down the stairs, with the contact Galleon in her hand. "Alright, I'll charm them the message that we need to meet outside the Room of Requirement in ten minutes."

"Sounds like a plan," Ron said, the reality of the situation sinking in. "We're really going to do this then? Jump Malfoy, get some information out of him. Guard Snape?"

Hermione's eyes were as feral as her hair. "Yes," she said, grabbing the sleeve of Ron's cloak roughly, pulling him closer towards her. "And we better get going."

**Author's Note: **I'm so happy and surprised by the feedback I've gotten! I'm glad that so many people seem to be really responding to the start of this story. You've set expectations really high, and I just hope I can fulfill them. To do so, I'm going to need a lot more comments and reviews! Please keep them coming and let me know how I'm doing. I must admit that when I began writing this story, I really wanted it to be omniscient. It looks as if my typing fingers have gotten the best of me, since this is fully Ron's point of view. (But doesn't every H/R shipper want to know what goes on in Ron's mind?) I may have a few chapters that delve into Hermione's point of view, but we'll have to see where things go.


	3. Chapter 3

The pair climbed through the portrait hole. Or rather, Hermione climbed through, dragging Ron by the sleeve of his cloak behind her.

"Eh, Hermione?" Ron whispered, as they entered the dark, deserted hallway just outside the portrait hole.

Hermione had already begun to briskly walk down the hall, all the while still grasping Ron's sleeve tightly in her fist. She stopped abruptly and turned to face him.

"Yes, Ron?"

"Do you want to, eh, let go of me?"

Confused, Hermione raised her eyebrows and then glanced down at her hand, which was still clenching on to Ron's sleeve. When realization took hold, she quickly released Ron's cloak. Losing the self-assurance she had left the common room with, she folded her arms across her chest and muttered a few apologies. Had the hallway not been so dark in the evening hours, Ron would have noticed the warm blush spreading across Hermione's face.

The two just stood there, as the silence of the dark corridor surrounded them. Smooth move, Ron thought to himself. He had a nice thing going there, and he had to act like she had cooties or something. Part of him wished this night would just get over with. Another part of him wasn't so sure.

Ending the silence, Ron said, "So, I guess we should get going then?".

Hermione moved a stray curl behind her ear, "Yes, right. I told the D.A. members ten minutes."

The pair began advancing down the corridor, side by side. Hermione kept her arms crossed over her chest, giving her somewhat of a defeated look. Ron thought this was odd, seeing as their mission had yet to really begin, yet alone fail to the extent of disappointment. Ron, feeling slightly uncomfortable, shoved his hands in his pockets. They continued down the corridor, with only the sounds of their footsteps echoing around them.

To fill the eerie silence, a low whistle began to emanate from Ron's lips. After only a few bars of what could only undoubtedly be a Chudley Cannons cheering song, Ron felt a quick thud across his chest. It had been from Hermione, who let out a quiet chuckle.

"Hey!" Ron exclaimed, as they continued to walk. "What was that for?"

"Well," Hermione began. "I believe we are supposed to be on a sort of covert mission. Your musical abilities aren't exactly the stealthiest."

"Well excuse me for trying to lighten up the situation," Ron said with a smile. "And shouldn't you be saving your punching arm for Malfoy?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh, you are just so clever, Ron. But I think it might take more than a few punches from me to stop Malfoy from whatever he's doing."

"What do you think he's doing?"

"I don't know. I've been trying out a few hypotheses in my head, but nothing really seems to make any sense. Is he hiding something? Hiding from something? Is he using it as some planning headquarters? But what would he be planning?"

"If you ask me," started Ron, "he's just gone completely bonkers, what with that whole business in Myrtle's bathroom. I mean, more bonkers than the little Death Eater wannabe was before."

"Ron, we've spent quite a bit of time in Myrtle's bathroom," Hermione reasoned.

"Well, yeah, for potion brewing and stuff. Not for a nice relaxing chat with Myrtle the Needy Ghost. It's pretty pathetic when you're such a wanker that the only person who'll talk to you anymore is some dead girl."

"I'm guessing his reasons are a little more sinister than that."

Ron shook his head. "I don't know, Hermione. Maybe he was just walking around in front of the Room of Requirement one day, alone, like the loser he is, and thought, 'You know, I'm such a bloody wanker. I wish I had some friends.'. And then, boom, what do you know? The door appears, and inside there's a little You-Know-Who fan club meeting just waiting for him."

"That's utterly ridiculous, Ron," Hermione laughed. After a moment's pause, she said, "Or is it?".

"It was only a joke, Hermione," Ron said, as they began to ascend a flight of stairs.

"Well, of course, in that exact description. But what if he's been using the Room of Requirement to communicate with people working for Voldemort?"

"Hermione, all year long you've been saying there is no way Malfoy could be a Death Eater this young."

Hermione stopped on the stairs and turned to look down at Ron. She was beginning to get that wild look once again, Ron noticed. "Yes, but that was before. Maybe he's not a Death Eater quite yet. But maybe he's working to become one, like an internship. Maybe he's providing them with information about the goings-on at Hogwarts to earn his credentials."

"It's a good theory, but how could he be doing it?" They continued their ascent up the staircase.

"I don't know but they must have found a way," Hermione said. They had reached the seventh floor and Hermione was now walking directly in front of Ron as she thought out loud. "If the information means that much to them, then they must have found a way."

At this point, Hermione was walking so fast due to her flurry of thought, Ron nearly had to jog to catch up with her, despite his long legs. Almost catching up with her, he said, "But you're the one who always says there's no way into Hogwarts, what with its protection and such. That's basic _Hogwarts: A History_, right?".

"Then there must be a loophole in the Room of Requirement." Believing Ron was farther behind, she stopped and turned abruptly to face him. She was mistaken. Ron had caught up to her in her fervor, right as she had turned around. He ran straight into her chest. The impact caused a brief groan from both.

The two stood chest to chest for a few dazed seconds, until Hermione said quietly, "Well, I suppose it's nice to know you were listening to me all those years about _Hogwarts: A History_."

Neither moved, as the silence seemed to grow around them. Ron looked down at Hermione, who was slightly out of breathe from her thoughts running rampant. She was so riled, and so ready to get to the bottom of everything. From their close proximity, he could practically feel her heart leaping from her chest. And then there was her chest. Looking down at her, he felt the sudden urge to kiss her. It would be so easy, so natural. If he bent his head down just a few inches, he would be there. Why not?, he thought to himself. There was no one around. This could be the time he always thought of, and had kept those thoughts to himself. If she turned him down, there were a flight of stairs handy nearby he could throw himself down. But she wouldn't turn him down, would she? There was really only one way to know.

He lifted his right hand to not really grab, but caress, her left arm. Her eyes looked up at him, startled. Her eyes were wide, with that zeal still burning in them. Despite the lack of light in the corridor, he could swear her face was getting closer to his. He could swear that her teeth pulled at her bottom lip, like she always did when she was nervous. This is really going to happen, he thought.

"HERMIONE!"

The yell echoed throughout the corridor. It seemed to be coming from around the corner, and sounded oddly enough like his dumb kid sister. Ron and Hermione broke away immediately, both turning to face the direction of the call.

"Oh, there you two are," said Ginny, popping around the corner. "We were starting to get worried."

"We?" Hermione said gruffly, before nervously clearing her throat. "Oh good. Who showed up?".

"Just me, Neville, and Luna, for now." The three turned the corner and spotted the other two, standing in front of the Barnabas the Barmy tapestry.

"Hello Nevile, Luna. Thanks for coming," Hermione said. Ron remained silent, slightly fuming. That hadn't gone as intended at all. Stupid little sister, he thought. Sure, they had to figure out what Malfoy was up to and all, but couldn't it have waited another two minutes?

Hermione quickly explained to the three what Harry had told them. Ron continued his sulking. That was probably his only chance, ever, he thought. He guessed that she probably figured him as some huge pervert now, and would never go near him again. But then again, maybe nothing happened. Yes, nothing had really happened, just a bump in the corridor. She probably didn't think of it as anything. It was probably good, then, that Ginny had interrupted when she had, before Ron had a chance to do something irreconcilably stupid.

"..so we're going to need to split up," Hermione said, finishing her explanation of the plan.

Ron decided he should probably jump in. "Right. So, Ginny. Neville. Luna. You three should head down to Snape's office, and Hermione and I will keep watch here."

"Ron," Hermione turned to look at him. "If Malfoy is contacting Death Eaters, I think we need more than two people guarding the Room of Requirement."

"Eh, right then," Ron said shakily. "So, Neville, why don't you stay here with us?"

Hermione was getting frustrated. "Ron, I'm pretty sure Harry wanted us to take the lead to watch both of them. Luna, you can come with me to Snape's office. The rest of you can keep an eye here."

"Wait, wait, wait," Ron said, sounding angry. "I do _not_ like the idea of two of you alone, defenseless to that slimy git."

Hermione turned to look at him once again, this time her anger mounting. She was blinking at him incredulously. The other three just stood and stared at the escalating argument. "So what are you trying to say, Ron? That you don't think I can handle myself? Weren't you the one who said I was the smartest witch in our class?"

"Yes…but…but you…" Ron struggled for the words to make things right. The truth was, if something was going to happen tonight, he did not want to be separated from Hermione. Of course she could handle herself, but he wanted to be around to see it, to make sure of it. He would die of worry with her out of his sight, halfway across the castle. "…you girls just shouldn't be alone at night."

"Oh, but it was alright for your sister and Luna to go off on their own?"

"Yes.. I mean… no…I mean, I'm just worried…"

"Save your breathe, Ron," Hermione said, trying to regain her composure. "You stay here with Neville and Ginny and wait for Malfoy to come out. Luna and I will just try to overcome our female sensibilities and go stake out Snape's office."

Hermione's say was final. With that, she pulled the Felix Felicis out from inside her robes and instructed everyone to take a sip from it, as per Harry's instructions. The small bottle passed from Neville, to Luna, to Ginny, then Hermione. She took her sip, and then, with contempt, passed it to Ron. "Here Ron, take it, if you can overcome the girl cooties."

Ron took the Felix, reluctantly. He took a sip, and starting to feel the effects, said, "Now, Hermione…"

Hermione wouldn't hear another word. "Well, good luck, everyone. Come find us if you need back up. Come on Luna."

With that, Luna and Hermione turned the corner and disappeared. Despite the Felix coursing through his veins, Ron didn't feel lucky at all.


	4. Chapter 4

Shit, Ron thought to himself.

What was the use of this Felix stuff if he could still manage to make himself look like a total arse?

Hadn't his intentions been in the right place? Girls are just bonkers, he thought. What was so wrong about showing a little concern for her?

Though he had never quite been heralded for being a great thinker, all these thoughts seemed to rush through Ron's brain simultaneously. It had been a good two minutes since Luna and Hermione had disappeared into the darkness of the corridor, and yet here he was, still standing in the same spot, staring off into the empty distance.

"Eh, Ron? Are you okay?" Ginny asked, hesitantly.

Ron spun around quickly, as if he could hide his remorseful guilt. "Eh…Yeah, of course…Why wouldn't I be bloody okay?"

Now on the defensive, Ron stomped past Ginny and Neville, slumping against the wall that faced the invisible entrance to the Room of Requirement. He came to a rest beneath the Barnabas the Barmy tapestry, a detached yet bitter look on his face.

"Hmmm, I don't know? Maybe because you're acting like a sarcastic little wanker?" Ginny said, putting her big brother in his place.

"Thanks, Gin. Do you woo Harry over with talk like that?"

Throughout all of this, Neville had stood still as a statue up against the tapestry, not five feet from Ron's current position. He cleared his throat. "Eh, Ginny. Ron. Do you think we should maybe just…"

"I don't know what your bloody problem is, Ron," Ginny said, ignoring Neville. "This is kind of important."

Ron stared at the floor between his trainers. "I know it's important," Ron looked up to face her. "I'm just…worried."

"Worried?"

"Yeah."

Ginny was pacing the floor in front of him. She let out a mirthless laugh. "God, Ron. Don't you think I might be worried? Not just about us, here in the castle. But about…I mean, I had to hear about my boyfriend from…How could Harry not have told…It's just nauseating thinking about…What if he…"

She was rambling now. Ron could hardly believe his eyes, but it looked as if Ginny was on the verge of tears. His little sister, crying over his best mate. It was touching and all, but it also kind of made him want to crawl into a hole and die somewhere. Or at least slug Harry in the face.

Neville patted Ginny on the shoulder comfortingly, and then sat down against the wall, next to Ron. There was silence for a full minute. Finally, Ginny spoke up. "Fine. Let's just sit here quietly until Malfoy comes out and we can attack him. Deal?"

"Deal," the two boys echoed in unison.

Ron was grateful for the quiet. He needed to think things through. He also needed to get better at this whole thinking thing, he thought. You know who was good at thinking?, thought Ron, setting himself up for the unavoidable trap. Hermione Granger.

Little know-it-all if there ever was one, he thought, from the very first day he met her on the train to Hogwarts. She didn't waste much time telling him how bloody stupid she thought he was, did she? No, she invited her little bushy-haired self into the compartment, only to have a laugh at his sunshine daisies, butter mellow spell, and to describe how absolutely brilliant she was. If only his wish that day on the train had come true, he thought, that he not end up in the same house as she. He wouldn't be in this whole mess right now, no sir.

If only he had kept his mouth shut, he thought. If he hadn't called her a bloody nightmare back in their first year, she wouldn't have ran crying to the girl's bathroom. Of course, _that_ was a highlight of Ron's suave intellect over the years. Then, he wouldn't have had to run in and save her from that awful troll all gallantly. She wouldn't have been all eternally, humbly grateful to him for saving her life. And they wouldn't have become friends.

Blimey, Ron thought to himself, exasperated. What was he doing to himself, drudging up all of this rubbish? He needed to think about something else. What else did Ron know, besides Hermione? Classes? No, that was too boring, and he couldn't be falling asleep on the watch for Malfoy. Chess? No, that just made him think about the end of first year, and her scream…

Bullocks, no, what about Quidditch? Yeah, Hermione hated Quidditch! That was something Ron could think about for quite awhile. Quidditch. The Chudley Cannons, Ron listed. He could hear the Chudley Cannons cheer in his head. He felt the urge to start whistling it. He smiled, as he remembered that playful thud against his chest, all from that little whistle. Actually, he could still just barely feel where she had hit him on his left side.

"Ron?" Ginny asked, interrupting his daydream. "What are you doing?"

Ron realized that for quite some time, his right hand had been feeling where Hermione had banged into his chest. "Eh…I just had an itch."

Must he be a complete gorm all the time? He wasn't feeling as lucky as he was crazy. Maybe the Felix went bad or something, sitting around Slughorn's office. He should really think twice about taking anything that's been in that oaf's hands, what with his luck as of late. The last thing he had that had been in Slughorn's possession landed him in the hospital wing, dreaming all sorts of crazy things about Hermione. About Hermione and him. Next thing he knew, he was leaving Madame Pomfrey's care without a girlfriend, and with a lot of strange looks from Hermione.

There were a lot of strange looks, Ron thought. Truth be told, Hermione seemed somewhat different after he left the hospital wing. It was hard to explain…less angry, he guessed. At the very least, she hadn't launched any yellow canaries at his head as of late. What caused the change?

It was probably just a friend seeing a friend sick, Ron reasoned. She was concerned, like any friend would be. He was concerned, really concerned, when she was frozen by the Basilisk. He was concerned enough to visit her every night in the hospital wing. But that's just what friends do. Obviously.

And in third year, when she was taking too many courses. He was concerned, like a friend, even if they were fighting like cats and dogs over a rat and cat.

And in fourth year, when the bloody, slimy, Bulgarian git put his bloody hands all over her at that bloody ball.

At that thought, Ron clenched his fists. Ginny could swear she heard Ron's upper and bottom molars scraping against each other, but she chose not to say anything.

The Yule Ball. He was concerned, like a friend. Like a brother. Hermione may very well be the brightest witch of their age, he thought, when it came to "Wingardium Leviosa" and organizing the D.A. and punching Malfoy in the face, but, she could be completely clueless when it came to blokes. Like looking like _that _in _that_ dress for Krummy the International Quidditch Star. Didn't she know what blokes thought when they saw her like that? Well, not Ron. Other blokes, he lied to himself.

God, he should of manned-up and asked her. He had thought about it at the time, and ever since seeing her that night, he would never forgive himself with not going through with it. Now _that_ would have changed things. Had he asked her before Vicky, maybe he wouldn't have to be some perv trying to attack her in some dark corridor, he thought. Maybe things would have just come together naturally, at the Yule Ball.

Or at Slughorn's Christmas Party. She said she would take him, over hooking up with McLaggen. She _wanted_ to take him. Because they were friends, obviously. But, after that day in Herbology, when she had asked, things between them seemed a little strange. They were…polite. It was strange, and nice, all at once.

And then, like everything else, he had to botch it up. With Lavender Brown. It just made him so angry, knowing Krum had kissed Hermione and he could never… So when the opportunity presented itself, he had no choice, really. And she went with McLaggen, bloody McLaggen, like she had probably _really_ wanted to do all along, and just hadn't wanted to hurt Ron's feelings.

And his feelings were hurt, he remembered, though he had had his hands full with Lavender. Lavender was nice, and all, but she just wasn't…the whole time he was with her, he just couldn't seem to stop thinking about Hermione. He'd think back to the year before, how she'd take charge at the D.A. meetings. He'd think about how proud she looked when she managed to produce her first Patronus. What was it…an otter…a weasel? Whatever it was, she seemed to really like it. She looked so content.

Not like later that year, at the ministry. She had looked so scared. He couldn't stand being lost in the Department of Mysteries, not knowing where she was. Not being able to help her. And then getting himself hit with some giggling spell and attacked by those brains. He hadn't been there for her when she had been hit by that Death Eater's spell. He wasn't there for her right now.

Ron jumped up from his sitting position, Ginny and Neville staring at him strangely. They had been sitting there, silent, for close to an hour now.

Harry's instructions be damned. He was going to find Hermione. If there was going to be another battle, he wouldn't spend it being useless, wondering if she was okay, yet again.

He needed to find her.

He was going to apologize. Then, he had a few things to tell her.

Ron would have left for Snape's office right then and there, had the door to the Room of Requirement not suddenly have appeared.

**Author's Note: Hey guys, I hope you're enjoying the story thus far. From the comments I've received everyone had been really receptive of my depiction of Ron's point of view. For the next chapter, I was considering switching to Hermione's point of view during the time she is staking out Snape's office with Luna. I thought the insight into her feelings about Ron would be nice. However, I feel like it might break up the continuity of the story. I feel like it might be better to just continue on with the** **storyline. Please let me know what you would prefer. I promise to take it into consideration for the next chapter!**

**On another note, do you know what's funny? While researching all of Ron's little looks back for this chapter, I came across a lot of the hints J.K.R left for us in the books. No matter how many times I read this series, the R/Hr clues still get me giggly and excited.**

**P.S. - Dear Marc:**

**If you have time to read your girlfriend's fan fiction, you have time to read the last two books. (If Obama and Eileen have the time to read all SEVEN books, so do you, library fees be damned.) Stop. Reading. This.**


	5. Chapter 5

Ginny and Neville quickly sprang up from their comfortable sitting positions. Ron drew out his wand, and looked over towards his friend and baby sister. They locked eyes and readied themselves for whatever was about to come out of that room.

Here we go, Ron thought to himself.

As the door inched forward, Ron began to jog towards it. Before he reached it, however, what appeared to be a blonde head shot out from behind the door, and down the corridor.

"Malfoy!" Ron screamed, as he, Ginny, and Neville began to pursue him. Before they could catch up with him, Malfoy's hand shot up, throwing something in the air behind him. Instantly, everything was black. Ron stopped running, as he could no longer see anything around him. The only thing he was aware of were the sounds of multiple pairs of feet running through the Room of Requirement's doorway, and a fanatical cackle echoing down the corridor.

"Blimey, what happened?" asked Ron, his heart racing.

Ginny coughed, and replied, "Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder...We are so screwed."

"Where did they all come from?" asked Neville, in a shocked awe.

"Shit. Shit. Shit. We gotta go," Ron said, before running off, into the darkness. Ginny and Neville followed behind.

Ron let his feet lead the way, eventually shouting "Lumos" in a failed attempt to dispel the darkness. Though his surroundings appeared blank from the powder's effects, Ron's mind was filled to the brim with different thoughts. Questions of who these people were, what they planned to do, where they were headed, and what Malfoy had to do with any of it raced through Ron's mind. Through this seemingly endless abyss of uncertainties, one simple question seemed to rise above all of the others, leading the way like a light at the end of the tunnel: Was Hermione okay?

Ron ran faster.

The three continued to run, attempting to follow the sounds of Malfoy and the others. Eventually, the sounds faded away, and the ragtag team was forced to blindly check every corridor and deserted hallway for any hint that the intruders had been there.

"Ron!" Ginny called from well behind her brother, who continued to run ahead. He stopped and turned to face her. "This is getting us nowhere," Ginny continued. "What should we do?"

Ron's eyes had a steely look in them Ginny and Neville had never seen before. It was a look similar to the one he had when Harry tricked him into believing he had consumed the Felix Felicis before that big Quidditch game, except there was something else mixed in them this time. Something concerned. Something urgent.

"We need to get to Snape's office," stated Ron, matter-of-fact.

"Snape's office?" questioned Neville. "Do you really think they'd head there?"

Ron narrowed his eyes and gruffly said, "Well, we don't know where they're headed, do we? But we can't just let Hermione sit there…we can't just let Hermione and Luna sit there while those people run around this place. We have to make sure Her…they're okay.".

Ginny let out a somewhat exasperated sigh, "Fine. Let's go. We need more than us three, anyway."

They changed course and set off for the dungeons. Ron lead the way, as thoughts of Hermione urged him onward. What would he say to her once they got there?, he thought. How would he explain what had happened? At least Hermione would know what to do, Ron reasoned, feeling slightly better. She would develop a plan, and he would follow it, follow her, like always. A part of him didn't want to say anything to her. A part of him wondered if he could summon the courage to run right up to her and…

As those tempting fantasies swam around his brain, the three rounded the corner to Snape's dungeon office. Ron's eyes widened, as he realized those fantasies would be nothing more than delusions.

Hermione and Luna were no where to be seen. Ginny and Neville peeked into Snape's dark office, hoping he had perhaps just found the girls and decided to scold them for snooping around after hours, but he too was missing. Ron remained frozen in his spot, his fists clenched tighter than the hold of a grindylow. His heart sank to the pit of his stomach. Had the Felix had any affect on him earlier, he believed it was completely gone now.

Where was she?

Ginny broke the awful silence. "So, where'd they go?"

"You don't think they were…You don't think they could have been…" stuttered Neville, at a loss for the terrible words they were all thinking.

"No…No. Maybe they heard the commotion and went to catch Malfoy," offered Ginny. "We should keep looking."

Ron could only nod.

They began their search once again. The farther they got from the dungeons, the more upheaval they could hear emanating throughout various parts of the castle. It did not take them long to run into Lupin, smack dab in the middle of a corridor leading to the Great Hall.

"Lupin!" Ginny shouted. "Do you know what's going on?"

"Do you know where Hermione and Luna are?" Ron added.

"What are you lot doing out of Gryffindor? There's madness afoot!" Lupin exclaimed.

Neville butted in. "We saw them, Professor! We saw them!"

Shocked, the frazzled Lupin raised his eyebrows.

"It's true," Ron added. "We saw Malfoy lead a ton of them out from the Room of Requirement on the seventh floor. They got away from us."

"The Room of Requirement? But that's…" Lupin seemed to struggle for a reasonable explanation. "…impossible. At least, now we know how, or at least where…But we've got them now."

The three youths looked optimistic for the first time in many hours.

Lupin noticed their expressions, and immediately shook his head. "Well, sort of. We've cornered them near the Astronomy Tower. I'm headed back there right now."

"We're coming with you," said Ron, looking Lupin straight in the eye.

"Well, I don't think that's such a good idea…"

"We have to. We promised Harry we would defend the school, if anything happened," Ron said. He didn't mention how he believed that as long as she could, Hermione would be in the thicket of the action. He didn't mention how he needed to be near her. His mind instantly thought back to the blow Hermione had received at the Department of Mysteries, not a year earlier. He wouldn't let anything like that happen to her. Not ever again.

Lupin groaned, ran his hand through his hair, and began to make his way back towards the Astronomy Tower. Ron, Ginny, and Neville figured that was the best concession they were ever going to get out of him, so they too made their way towards the ensuing battle.

A battle in Hogwarts, Ron thought as he ran. It's bloody madness. Who would've ever thought? Duking it out in the Ministry, or in some Muggle cemetery or something was one thing…but Hogwarts? It was just kids here, really. Strongheaded kids, who would get themselves hurt trying to defend the school they loved so much. Kids like Hermione. Bloody hell, he thought, he needed to find her.

As they approached the landing that lead up to the Astronomy Tower, the sounds of struggle only seemed to get worse. There were yells, and cries. There were a number of Unforgivable Curses being shot out. There were agonizing screams.

Please don't let that be Hermione, Ron pleaded in his mind. His heart raced. God, don't let her be hurt, not with her still angry at him. Don't let him be too late again.

With that last thought, Ron surged ahead of Lupin and the rest of the group, charging into the battle.

It was a mess. It was so dark, it was hard to tell who was on what side. The only light source seemed to come from spells ricocheting off the hard stone walls. Some giant blonde oaf of a Death Eater was flinging Killing Curses off willy nilly. It was from one such flash of green that Ron spotted Hermione.

Ron breathed a momentary sigh of relief. Here she was, standing in front him, alive and well, well being a subjective term. She looked feral once again, standing her ground and deftly deflecting the spells cascading around her, her hair whipping about her face. If he were forced to down Veritaserum right then and there, then he probably would have admitted to Hermione's appearance being a bit of a turn on, had they not been facing life or death everywhere around them.

Oh yeah, life and death, Ron thought, snapping him out of his trance. His previous relief ended when a stream of blue light hit extremely close to his hip. He got to work deflecting and firing spells, always keeping an eye on Hermione out of his peripheral vision. She was doing amazingly well, but he could tell she was tiring. He wasn't sure how much more she could take on her own. He decided to make his way towards her.

"Hermione!" he yelled, as he attempted to run across the hall. He didn't face too much of a struggle, as he noticed Harry running in the opposite direction at the same time. So he had made it back. Did that mean...?, Ron thought. He felt the urge to help his best friend, but it looked as if Harry had it under control. Hermione was still his primary concern.

"Hermione!" he shouted, yet again.

The second yell startled her. She looked in his direction after setting off a particularly effective Expelliarmus. Ron thought he saw a glint in her eye. And was that a smile forming on her lips? Might she have forgiven him for being such an arse?

Ron enjoyed the sight, pleased when it looked as if her lips were preparing to shout out "Ron". But just then, Ron noticed something looming behind Hermione. It was shaggy, but still resembled a man, and held a wand. A wand that was most definitely pointed at the back of Hermione's head.

Ron's adrenaline raced. "Hermione…no!" he screamed, running full-speed ahead towards her.

As that thing raised its wand, preparing to strike, Ron dove, his Keeper instincts kicking in, grasping Hermione about her upper arms. He held her in his arms and against his chest snugly, just as he would a quaffle, as they hit the floor. From his position on top, Ron could see the green light travel from above their heads to hit against the far stone wall. Ron heard what sounded like a growl from behind him, before he saw the shadow of the man-beast run off.

The imminent danger was gone, yet still Ron's heart roared from the adrenaline. His chest rose and fell incessantly. He near collapsed, resting his forehead against the back of Hermione's left shoulder while he gathered his breath. He heard a small whimper from Hermione, and realized that he must be crushing her with his weight. He abruptly rolled off of her.

He kneeled next to her on the ground. Embarrassed, he said, "Eh, Hermione…I'm so sorry for…I'm such a bloody…"

Hermione also sat up, reaching for her wand. She smoothed out her skirt as she looked up at him, slowly and shyly. "Ron…no," she interrupted quietly. "You don't have to…I mean, tha-"

Before she could finish, a loud, "It's over" echoed throughout the halls. The two looked at each other. Ron could have sworn it sounded like Snape. They each tightened their holds on their wands, preparing for an even greater counter-attack that the Order must have been about to wage. That had to be the meaning behind Snape's battle cry, Ron thought.

Before they could make it to their feet and being firing spells once again, an odd pandemonium took place around them. At Snape's cry, every Death Eater began to run, fleeing the battle. Fleeing, without a single spell fired, Ron noticed.

Confused, Ron looked back at Hermione. She was staring straight back at him, searching for answers in his eyes. They stayed that way for quite some time.

**Author's Note: So, I took the overall advice from the readers, and continued on with the "plot", in Ron's point of view. I am considering writing a on-shot from Hermione's point of view, as she waits outside Snape's office. **

**This chapter was a bit tricky to write, because I really wanted the timeline of events to be correct. I had to play really close attention to Chapter 29, and to everyone's different telling of events as they sit around the hospital wing. I tried to weave the different stories together the best I could. The way I see it, while Ron, Ginny, and Neville were trying to chase after the Death Eaters, the Death Eaters and the havoc they were causing was already being discovered by Tonks, Bill, and Lupin, who had been patrolling. They alerted the faculty, who asked Flitwick to go get Snape's help. Snape stuns Flitwick, yada yada yada, Hermione and Luna take care of him, eventually moving him to the hospital wing. At this point, right after they leave, Ron, Ginny, and Neville turn up to find Snape's office deserted. They then run into Lupin, telling him how the Death Eater's got into the castle. They join the fighting. Hermione and Luna leave the hospital wing to join the fighting. Fight fight fight.**

**It's a little confusing, but I think it's reasonable, and follows what we can surmise from Chapter 29.**

**I also hope my battle scene wasn't too terrible. I don't really think they're my forte!**

**Also, as a last note, I'd like to apologize if I've been making Neville out to seem like a bit of a wimp. I really, truly love Neville. He's one of my favorite characters, especially as he really grew into himself from Book 5 to 7. It's just how he's been popping into my head, as kind of a wimp up compared to Ron and Ginny. Of course, he hadn't gotten completely BA like in Book 7 just yet.  
**

**Let me know what you think! I've really enjoyed the comments thus far, and I promise to respond back to any and all reviews! **


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